Booze and Jerky a Match Made in Food Hall Heaven

By Sola Onitiri

Photograph: Sola Onitiri

In his titular hit song, Southside, Lloyd once asked, “ATL Georgia, what do we do for ya?” Besides, that being one of the crazier leads I’ve ever written (lol), I’m happy to say that I have an answer to that and it’s food halls.

Whether it’s Nashville’s Hot Chicken or New Orlean’s beignets - each southern city has its own thing. But if every one of these cities had a connecting theme it would be simply put as good.

As a newcomer to Atlanta, I know in my soul there are tons of regional spots and dishes that I skipped to wander drooling around Ponce City Market. I’m not proud of it but what can I say, I’m a sucker for quality and convience.

For those of you who don’t know, Ponce City Market is located in the former Sears, Roebuck & Company building in Old Fourth Ward. In addition to being a great event venue, Ponce City Market is home to both local and franchised retail stores and restaurants.

Besides it being almost too interior decorated - It leans heavily on being industrial chic - what really sets Ponce City Market apart from other food halls is its curation. It houses super ambitious concepts that must rely on more than just aesthetic to please discerning food lovers who voyage to the south. Stand out for me personally, Biltong Bar.

Biltong Bar is the first of its kind in The US. It pairs organic, all-natural South African dry aged beef jerky, or Biltong, with a forceful cocktail menu. Their motto is beef jerky and booze and they deliver in every way imaginable.

With over fifteen signature cocktails that incorporate ingredients like gunpowder, yuzu, eucalyptus, and tobacco (to name a few), you’ll want to carve out a good amount of time to take a full tour of this cocktail list.

There's fantastic food all around Atlanta. But sometimes hunting it down isn't in your best interest, especially if you have limited amount of time. So, for once, pick the easy way out. Head to Ponce City Market where you won't sacrifice quality for convenience. Biltong and Booze is a prime of example of that.